WINTER BOUNTY
How the arrival of the herring shoals can play a big part in your seasonal catches
What to catch right now!
With winter well and truly here and the country battening down for whatever the weather can bring, it’s time to take a fresh look at our angling calendar here in the Bristol Channel. Long gone are the days of distant steaming and long-haul shark trips. Now is the time to make the most of our local waters and what they have to offer.
The food chain is completely different to that on offer back in the summer, when a string of feathered hooks could easily supply enough bait in the form of mackerel and scad for a good day’s fishing.
The Channel has a new addition to its list of seasonal inhabitants. From October through to February, our inshore waters are heaving with massive shoals of herrings and sprats, with a good handful of pilchards thrown in for good measure. This, of course, will drastically affect the feeding patterns of our fish.
Both resident and migratory species will have to change strategy to make the most of this phenomenal winter bounty. Species like conger eels and bull huss will make their way inshore to feed on the pelagic invasion before settling down for a wellearned rest of the first few weeks of the New Year.
Big fat eels to more than 50lb are taken regularly on marks so close in that you could probably catch them from the shore.
Along with our residents, we are now blessed with the arrival of the nation’s favourite species, cod. At present, these fish are showing in good numbers, with fish to more than 20lb showing from many inshore marks.
Whiting, too, are taken in good numbers, with a 3lb fish not unusual.
Though the cod will primarily be targeting worm and crab beds to make their initial feeding assault they, like the eels, will soon become preoccupied by the silver darlings (herrings). On several occasions I have a seen big cod rolling on the surface – these fish are obviously coming up in the water to attack the herring shoals.
INSHORE FISHING
Many days will now be spent fishing very close to the shore, so when the weather permits, it’s well worth a trip out on to the rough patches. Here, large shoals of spurdogs will be taking their share of the feast. These fish are great sport on a light outfit, such as an uptide rod and small multiplier.
Even though we are in winter, some fantastic sport can still be had with our ray population. Many years ago, these fish were expected in the spring, but they now seem to be resident, with some fantastic fish of all species being taken all the year round. Maybe the increasing presence of herrings in the winter is playing a part in their migration plan.
Smoothhounds are staying with us far longer than they used to, with double-figure fish being taken well after Christmas. February was a month to avoid.
It was in February, many years ago that I suffered my one and only total blank. Cold weather, easterly winds, a general lack of fish and a complete lack of interest I’m sure contributed. These days, however, things are different, with February producing some great fishing.
BEST BAIT
With the plan coming together nicely as to what species we can catch and where to expect to find them, the obvious issue to address is what bait to use.
Fairly obvious, isn’t it? Here in Minehead, we are lucky to have an amazing herring fishery. This has been kept alive for many years by local brothers Marcus and David James. A long drift net is set across the tide from a drifting boat.
The bottom line is weighted, traditionally with stones and the head line is floated with corks. The exact position as to where to start the drift is a science that few have knowledge of, but the James brothers seem to know more than most. I can’t quite get the hang of what goes on, though.
The outcome, however, is usually the same – a boatload of sparkling herrings to take home. Freezers are filled with enough bait to last well into the New Year.
In my opinion, there is no finer bait for general ground fishing than fresh herring. A fillet, chunk,
Above: A selection of mixed baits Left: Another cod in the net
head or even a whole fish will take more or less anything that swims here at this time of year.
Of course, traditional baits, such as lug and rag tipped with a strip of fresh calamari squid, will always catch cod, especially at the beginning of the season. As time goes on, it will be worth a change to fish baits.
At the end of the day, if you go to sea with a bucket of fresh herrings and the fishing does happen to fail, you can always take your bait home and eat it, it’s far better than ragworms! ■